Bombers beat Dockers to keep AFL season alive
Essendon have come from the clouds to pull off a dramatic one-point comeback win over Fremantle and keep their flickering AFL finals hopes alive.
With their season on the line, the Bombers trailed by 25 points early in the fourth quarter at the MCG on Sunday afternoon – before pulling off a blistering run of five unanswered goals to take the lead.
Jye Amiss drew the Dockers level from a free kick with 36 seconds to play but Sam Durham burst forward from the subsequent centre clearance and kicked a point to deliver a 13.12 (90) to 14.5 (89) win.
Brad Scott’s Bombers (ninth, 11-8-1) sit two points outside the top eight with games against Gold Coast (Marvel Stadium), Sydney (Marvel Stadium) and the Brisbane Lions (the Gabba) to come.
It was the first time Fremantle (sixth, 12-1-7) had played Essendon at the MCG since 1999, with 34,381 fans on hand.
The loss was particularly costly for Justin Longmuir’s Dockers, who blew their chance to consolidate a top-for spot ahead of a brutal home run against fellow top-four contenders Geelong (Optus Stadium), GWS (Engie Stadium) and Port Adelaide (Optus Stadium).
Dockers spearhead Josh Treacy went down holding his right knee after an aerial collision with Ben McKay in the fourth quarter, but he returned to play.
Essendon midfielder Jye Caldwell (32 disposals) continued his red-hot form, with help from Nic Martin (25 touches, two goals), Darcy Parish (34 disposals), Mason Redman (27 touches) and skipper Zach Merrett.
Essendon dynamo Jake Stringer kicked four goals, with Jade Gresham adding three.
Fremantle midfielder Hayden Young booted two goals and racked up 28 disposals, alongside Andrew Brayshaw (33 disposals) and 100-gamer Caleb Serong (32 disposals).
Treacy (three goals), Jye Amiss (four), Luke Jackson (two) and Sam Sturt (two) all hit the scoreboard.
The Bombers started strongly and took a nine-point lead into the first break.
But in the second quarter, they failed to take their chances time and time again and Fremantle punished them to snatch a 13-point lead at halftime.
Stringer sparked Essendon with an overhead snap, then a strong contested mark and goal midway through the third term.
But the Dockers quickly responded to restore a 19-point lead at three-quarter time.
The Bombers found new life midway through the final term.
Martin kicked two goals either side of Nate Caddy’s first major for the day, before Gresham steered them in front.
Langford extended the lead before Amiss’s late goal made for a thrilling finish.
Durham kicked his point on the run to nudge the Bombers back in front before Sam Draper took a huge contested mark to seal victory.
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